A rare first edition of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is tipped to sell for a whopping £20,000 - despite being in paperback. The copy, which is signed by author JK Rowling, was among the first batch of 500 given to schools, libraries and private individuals in 1997.
The majority of the books were in hardback but this paperback version was printed and contains the same typos. They include "one wand" being printed twice on a list of items Harry needs for Hogwarts on page 53.
The copy, which has been consigned by an undisclosed British seller, is expected to spark a bidding war with London-based Forum Auctions due to its "exceptional" condition. The auctioneers describe it as "one of the finest signed copies to come to auction".
Rupert Powell, specialist at Forum Auctions, said: "Only 500 first edition copies were printed and these included hardback and paperback. What stands out about this example is its exceptional condition - it is one of the finest signed copies to come to auction.
"Lots of copies which went to libraries are well-thumbed and stamped so collectors are on the lookout for examples in good condition. It is the 25th anniversary of the book this year and its popularity continues to grow.
"People who read it as children are in their mid-30s now and have perhaps earned some money so they want their children to enjoy it. With prices having increased steadily for the past 20 years, Harry Potter first editions can be seen as an investment."
The book is being sold with signed promotional photos of JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe. The world record for a Harry Potter first edition is £356,000 set in Dallas, US, last December, the highest price ever achieved for a 20th century work of fiction.
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone has sold over 120 million copies worldwide. The sale takes place on May 26.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
